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Committee hears bill to bar sister-city ties with foreign adversaries; supporters registered but no public testimony
Summary
Senator Hall explained House Bill 128, which would prohibit sister-city agreements with countries designated as foreign adversaries and require existing agreements with such countries to end by Oct. 1, 2025; supporters were registered but no witnesses spoke at the hearing and the bill was left pending.
Senator Hall laid out House Bill 128 to the Committee on State Affairs, describing the measure as a safeguard against the "weaponization and subversion" of sister-city relationships with countries the state designates as foreign adversaries.
Hall said the bill does not ban sister-city partnerships outright but prohibits agreements with a country "that is a foreign adversary or a community within such a country," and requires any such existing agreement to be dissolved by Oct. 1, 2025. He described sister-city pacts as broad partnerships that can include municipal, trade, educational and cultural exchanges but said the measure seeks to "mitigate against these mounting concerns."
Committee staff noted several registered supporters, including Michael Lucci and Ambassador Kelly Curry, and their written positions were entered into the record; no one present asked to testify for or against the bill during the public-comment period. The chair left House Bill 128 pending.
Senators asked no substantive follow-up during the hearing and the committee did not take a vote. Committee members said they will consider the measure as they continue work on related security and foreign-engagement issues.
